War

Medal shows a soldier bayoneting a grotesque beast (dragon) attacking a woman (representing Europe). God-like figure stands behind the soldier. Issued by The Balfour Company, Attleboro.

Medallion design with front facing Pershing. Cast by Whitehead and Hoag, Newark, NJ.

Soldier in field uniform carrying an artillery shell ready to be loaded. Mounted on pink granite stone boulder at the corner of Kempton and Murray Streets. Cast by Continental Bronze Co., Pawtucket, RI.

Female figure with torch and sword. Under her foot is the head of Medusa. Commissioned by Tilden-Thurber Company, Providence, Rhode Island, and cast at the Elmwood foundry of the Gorham Mfg. Co. 

Bas relief medallion honoring World War I French Marshal. Unknown if cast in bronze.

Proposal for World War I memorial. Fallen soldier lifting a torch. Proposal presented in August of 1932 at the Iowa American Legion Convention in Ft. Dodge, IA.

Recto: winged female with battleground behind. Verso: surround of leaves. Made for L.G. Balfour Co., Attleboro, MA.

Early medal design by Petersen.

Half-figure sculpture of nude mother figure holding nude child close to her chest, both wearing expressions of horror. Inspired by World War II bombings in Europe.

Aged female with her hands placed together in prayer and eyes looking upward.

Crouching World War II soldier beside fallen World War I doughboy. Proposed war memorial honoring service men from World Wars I and II.

Study of fallen soldier. A man grasping a wounded soldier under the arms and holding him upright.

World War II soldier slumps toward ground as he is hit by a bullet.

Statue of draped figure strapped to a vertical slab, with his back to the viewer. Proposal for international competition on the theme of "Unknown Political Prisoner".

Cloaked woman with hands crossed over her chest.

Studies for Pioneer Woman. Potentially a war memorial. The model may have been Hazel Allen Lipa, professor of English at Iowa State College.

Study or a woman standing with arms crossed at her waist. Figure of cross and helmet in background.

Six sketches, five of a standing woman with hands clasped, one of a seated woman.

Two sketches of a standing woman with hands clasped, one woman wears a head kerchief similar to Return from war.

Back side of seated woman looking over her left shoulder.

Reverse image of Charlotte, Christian and Mary Petersen standing and looking in shock at a globe on a pedestal as explosions come out of two sides.

Seated profile, front view and various other sketches of a soldier. Probably a preliminary sketch for Carry On.

Studies of a seated girl and a boy with books on their laps. Study of female holding a child.

Sketch of the Armory for a war memorial concept.

Image of children, a World War II memorial concept.

Three sketches of a fallen soldier; possibly a war memorial. Two religious studies for "Julegranen".

Sketch of returning a wounded World War II veteran embraced by his mother. Possible study for war memorial.

Sketch of soldiers to illustrate the "Yellow Envelope" by J. Christian Bay.

Study of a T-shaped monument.

Study of a man tied to a cross - unknown political prisoner of war. Notation by Charlotte Petersen on cover of the sketch book states that it was for a competition for sculptors.

Sketch of a war memorial monument, with a woman.

Sketch of a wounded veteran returning, and being greeted by his mother. Possibly a study for a war memorial.

Sketches of a wounded World War II veteran returning home to his family.

A woman in a dress with her hands together in front of her, and a large cross behind her. She is looking down at a helmet and sword, all on a base. Possibly for a war memorial.

Three sketches. Left to right: 1) large one of a Bound Christ standing on a globe, with sketched figures around it and the above title below in pencil. 2) detail of Christ’s head. 3) similar to 1, but from a distance and with a base.

Five studies related to "Unknown Political Prisoner".

Eight sketches of varying sizes of figures, most on pedestals and some with crosses behind them. Some sketches reference "Pioneer Women" while others "Unknown Political Prisoner".

Sketches of four Civil War soldiers near a tree for war memorial.

Figure sketch of a woman draped in a long cloth and seven smaller sketches including a fountain pool. Possibly for a war memorial.

Christmas card featuring atomic imagery and the Petersen family.

Sketch of soldier emerging from wall. Possibly a proposal for a war memorial.

Three elongated rectangular sketches, middle sketch of person in bed with standing adult leaning over. Bottom sketch is of two soldiers with a bayonet rifles guarding a bed. May relate to "Yellow Envelope" illustrations.

Solider on the ground with hand reaching out. May relate to "Yellow Envelope" illustrations.

Three sketches, including a sketch of a woman in a cloak, one woman and a child. Possibly a study for War Memorial.

Eight sketches of seated, kneeling and standing females. Some are on bases, two have frameworks behind them, and one holds a branch.

Memorial plaque may have been executed by Petersen from a design by George Nerney. Unveiled in Capron Park, Attleboro on October 5th, 1919. Melted during a World War II scrap metal drive, according to photograph caption in Papers, SC.

Bas relief, one fallen WWI solider on the ground, the other solider stands over him with bayoneted gun and hand outstretched above to flying eagle.

Designed for Roll of Honor for World War I monument in Attleboro, MA. Eagle with plates. Commissioned by Tilden-Thurber, cast by Gorham Bronze Works, April 10, 1918.

Bronze cast from 1942 original painted plaster. Cast by Polich Art Works, Rock Tavern, New York.

Bronze cast from 1944 original painted plaster. Cast by Polich Art Works, Rock Tavern, New York.

Standing figure or a US Airman in uniform. Cast by Gorham Co. Bronze Division.

An oval roundel of two Civil War era soldiers in Union uniforms. One soldier kneels in the grass with his rifle pointed up. The second soldier is standing to his left with gun in hand.

Sculpture is a hulking monster of war having beaten down a peasant. War has sized the peasant’s wife by the throat. She peasant pleads for mercy on her knees back arched in suffering.

One of Petersen’s plaster sculptures, "The Mother: A Wartime Conception", was featured on the June 5, 1915 cover of "The Survey" an American magazine on social and political issues published in New York in the early and mid 20th century.

Bust of Navy admiral from shoulders up wearing a military cap.

Cloaked woman with hands crossed over her chest. Intended to honor veterans of all wars. An inscription on the base would read "Let the Voice of Silence Speak for Those Loved Ones Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice for God and Country." Proposal to the Ames Patriotic Council…

A lecture on the history of Christian Petersen by Dr. Lea Rosson DeLong given Oct. 15, 2005 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Lecture by Dr. Lea Rosson DeLong held at the Brunnier Art Museum on April 1, 2001.

Lecture by Dr. Lea Rosson DeLong held on April 27, 2007 at the newly opened Christian Petersen Art Museum, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.

Lecture by Dr. Lea Rosson DeLong held at the Christian Petersen Art Museum, September 2009.

Lecture by Dr. Lea Rosson DeLong for the National Coalition of Independent Scholars Conference: Traditions and Transitions in New Haven, Connecticut on June 20, 2015.